346 
ORDERS OF REPTILES— SERPENTS 
species have been evolved, which are of no in- 
terest whatever to the general student. 
The Red-Bellied Water-Snake 1 is a highly 
colored variety of the common Water-Snake that 
merits special attention. It is the most showy 
and handsome representative of an interesting 
group of water-snakes, comprising about ten 
species, all of which are harmless, but very much 
in evidence in small streams and other bodies of 
water. They bring forth their young alive. 
They love to lie upon low. bushes that overhang 
water, and bask in the sun. They are very sus- 
picious, however, and when disturbed drop head 
first into the water, like a stream of oil running 
Ditmars took three sunfish, one catfish, about a 
dozen tiny suckers and a crawfish. This inter- 
esting fish collection had filled the serpent so 
full it could hold no more. The species referred 
to is prominently marked by its shiny red belly, 
and rusty-brown upper surface. It is from 
to 4 feet long, and like all Water-Snakes, emits 
a disagreeable odor when handled. It inhabits 
the southern states generally, and extends north- 
ward into Illinois and Michigan. 
The Common Water-Snake 2 inhabits all 
of the Gulf states and the Mississippi valley up 
to Iowa. In the New England states as far up as 
Connecticut, and also in the southeastern states 
New York Zoological Park. 
RED-BELLIED WATER-SNAKE. 
down. The way to catch them is with a wire 
noose on the end of a light pole about ten feet 
long. 
The species named above is widely known 
amongst the negroes of the Carolinas and other 
portions of the South as the Copper-Bellied 
“Moccasin,” and it is feared accordingly. To 
the negroes of South Carolina, all water-snakes 
are “Moccasins.” The Red-Bellied is held to 
be very deadly, and its bite is said to be “fatal” 
unless counteracted with large doses of good 
whiskey! (R. L. Ditmars.) 
Water-snakes feed chiefly upon small fishes and 
frogs. From the stomach of one Red-Bellied 
Water-Snake collected in South Carolina, Mr. 
1 Na'trix fas-ci-a'ta er-yth' ro-gas-ter . 
and the Mississippi valley is found a subspecies 
called Natrix fasciata sipedon. 
The Hog-Nosed Snake 3 is a serpent of many 
names and remarkable habits. It is often called 
the Blowing “Viper, ” Spreading “Adder,” 
and other combinations of “Viper” and “Ad- 
der,” all erroneous. This is the snake that is such 
a bold bluffer, and often saves its life by pretend- 
ing to be very fierce and dangerous. Instead of 
fleeing from an intruder, this creature comes 
straight forward, with savage determination, 
hissing and darting out its tongue, and pretending 
to be a serious proposition. It looks as ugly and 
deadly as any real viper. It inflates the skin of 
2 Na'trix fas-ci-a'ta. 
3 He-ter' o-don plat-y-rhi'nus. 
